


Prove It

by onlyhereforellick



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, a touch of angst, fic request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23187499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyhereforellick/pseuds/onlyhereforellick
Summary: Her heart squeezed, lungs constricted as they filled with glacier cold air. Every muscle tensed, coiling with anxiety. Her pulse stopped, yet her mind raced a mile a minute.
Relationships: Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 4
Kudos: 50





	Prove It

**Author's Note:**

> 10\. “Stay?”  
> 11\. “Do you know how to knock?”  
> 13\. “I need you.”  
> 14\. “I hate you.” “No you don’t.”  
> 20\. “It’s three in the morning…”  
> 60\. “I’ll prove it!”
> 
> for the 2 anons of tumblr - I mashed your requests together :)

_“Stay?”_

_The words murmured in between peppered kisses on tender, flushed flesh. The hopeful promise woven in that one simple word, punctuated by the raw vulnerability peeking through only made known by the slight crack in his voice at the end._

_Her heart squeezed, lungs constricted as they filled with glacier cold air. Every muscle tensed, coiling with anxiety. Her pulse stopped, yet her mind raced a mile a minute. She never thought in a million years he’d ask her to stay- he didn’t do relationships._

_Right?_

_She wasn’t ready for a relationship._

_Right?_

_Ellie had been so lost in her thoughts she didn’t even notice the soft kisses had halted until the strong heat enveloping her body disappeared. Clearing the fog in her vision, she saw Nick jerkily redressing with his back facing her._

_She jumped off the bed, “Wait, Nick. I-“_

_Without turning around he answered, “Save it, Ellie. You should go.” Seconds later the bathroom door clicked shut, leaving Ellie feeling exposed- a lone battered tree after a tornado swept through, and it wasn’t from her nakedness._

_Holding back tears, Ellie collected her discarded clothes and made her quiet exit from Nick’s apartment. All the while questioning why her breastbone felt like it’d been cracked and pried open, her beating heart ripped out with her own cold grip._

_She did this, there was no one else to blame._

* * *

It had been an entire week since then and she couldn’t take it. Nick had volunteered to use his time off when the director mandated they cut to a skeleton crew for the quarantine. McGee had readily gone home to help Delilah when the twins’ school was closed. Between her and Gibbs they’d effectively said all of three words to each other daily- neither in the mood to make small talk.

By the seventh day of radio silence despite several calls and multiple messages left, Ellie had had enough. She was talking to Nick- whether he liked it or not.

* * *

Picking the lock in seconds, Ellie both internally berated and thanked Nick for the lack of security. The apartment lights were dimmed, but she could make out the muted voices of a television show.

Apprehension filled her voice as she called out, “Nick?”

She was met at the end of the entry hallway by a massive brick wall of a man- shirtless chest staring her down. Ellie gulped.

Fists clenched atop his hips, Nick’s jaw was set in an unmoving line. He made no effort to keep the bite from his tone, “Do you know how to knock?”

Ellie held her ground despite the anger radiating off his body, “Nick,” she repeated more firmly, “I fucked up. I need you.” Her own voice cracking at the pure need coursing through her. When his jaw stayed clenched, she continued, “I didn’t realize it then, but- but I had tripped into your heart and without you- I just, I..” she trailed off unable to conjure the words.

“You what, Ellie?” He probed emotionless.

“I- I need you, Nick. I think I love you,” the ending a mere whisper in the dark hallway.

She caught a quick flash in his eyes, a flash of hope- but it was quickly replaced by shutters. His voice low and unnervingly still, “I hate you.”

Ellie visibly flinched. It was a slap to the face, they were just words- and words she was sure he didn’t mean, but they evoked a visceral reaction. Before- before she would’ve accepted it and ran. But Ellie was here to fight, fight for what she knew felt _right_.

“No you don’t.” Ellie ground her own teeth together, trying to show she meant business. She wouldn’t fall for this act so easily.

The stare down felt like it lasted minutes, yet Nick probably yielded in less than 30 seconds. His posture loosening just slightly as his eyes and neck rolled back to the ceiling. Exasperation hanging thick in his words, “It’s three in the morning...Ellie, why now?”

She senses that inch he was giving and she jumped on it, “Because, Nick! I couldn’t take it a moment longer. I needed to tell you- I needed you. I want to stay- hell I want to stay forever,” she saw his eyes widen slightly as her words sunk in. “Nick, I don’t know what it’ll take to forgive me, but I’m willing to do it all. I love you- I’ll prove it! Whatever it takes. I’m all in.”

He sighed, and Ellie hesitated- freezing in place. His look full of hurt and disappointment, but also of maybe hope? and love?

“Ellie,” he began, “I forgave you the moment you walked out of my apartment that night.” Her brow twisted in confusion. “I knew my offer would be scary for you- I get why. I was willing to wait it out until you were ready. I wanted to give you space, but...if you’re done needing space, I-“

She interrupted his sentence by crashing into his body, lips molding with his. She was done hesitating- it was time to prove it.


End file.
